Friday, June 14, 2013

Update on immigration bill--ACT NOW!

The Senate is expected to continue debate on the bill beginning
Monday and proceed to vote on amendments on Tuesday. Thanks to all of our calls, the Senate voted to table Grassley’s amendment #1195 yesterday. This amendment would unnecessarily delay the initial step of the path to citizenship for the millions of people who would qualify to obtain Registered Provisional Immigrant (RPI) status. Now is the time for us to
stay strong and remain engaged in the debate. The following amendments, which would
significantly delay and restrict access to the path to citizenship, will be
considered on Tuesday. These amendments are not in line with our General Assembly policy, which calls for an inclusive path to citizenship
without long waiting periods or irksome conditions and opposes the continued militarization
of our Southern border.

RUBIO'S
AMENDMENT #1225

Families call for an end to deportations

Senator
Rubio's amendment #1225 would mandate that in order for those with RPI status
to get a green card, they would have to meet the same eligibility requirements
for English and civics as someone applying for citizenship - which is a much
higher bar than currently in place for people adjusting their status to lawful
permanent residency (LPR). This would restrict a lot of people from being
able to adjust to LPR, and thus from being able to sponsor their family members
for reunification. The standard currently set in the bill, to allow people in
RPI status to adjust to LPR if they are "satisfactorily pursuing a
course of study...to achieve an understanding of English and knowledge and
understanding of the history and Government of the United States" should remain,
so individuals can adjust to LPR and continue learning English to prepare for
the citizenship exam.

GRASSLEY'S
AMENDMENT #1195

Senator
Grassley's amendment #1195 would significantly delay access to the initial
registration process of the path to citizenship. It would prevent our
undocumented community members from obtaining Registered Provisional Immigrants
(RPI) status until the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
certifies to Congress that DHS has maintained “effective control” over the
entire southern border for six months.

CORNYN'S "RESULTS"
AMENDMENT

Senator
Cornyn's RESULTS amendment would mandate unreasonable triggers that could
inevitably delay the path to citizenship and increases enforcement costs
without a clear strategy and purpose. The Department of Homeland Security would
have to ensure 100% situational awareness of the border, full operational
control, and fully implement a nationwide employment verification system and
biometric entry and exit system at all air and sea ports of entry. This would
cost around $24 billion, mostly for adding 10,000 officer and agents. These are
extremely high costs for expenditures that lack clear justification.

VITTER'S AMENDMENTS

Senator Vitter's amendments #1201 and #1228 would needlessly
delay the pathway to citizenship until DHS implements US-VISIT (biometric
border check-in and out system) and Congress confirms that this has been
sufficiently implemented. Not only would this unnecessarily delay the
already lengthy 13-year pathway to citizenship, but it would be very difficult
for congress to confirm that the US-VISIT system has been sufficiently
implemented, especially given the political dynamics inherent in such a vote, and thus requiring
congress to confirm could inevitably delay the path to citizenship.

THUNE'S AMENDMENTS

Senator
Thune's amendment #1196 would delay the initial step of the path to citizenship
- RPI status - until all Southern Border governors approve the Department of
Homeland Security's Comprehensive Southern Border Security Strategy and
certify that the strategy has been substantially implemented. Thune's amendment
#1197 would require the completion of the 350 miles of reinforced,
double-layered fencing before RPI status may be granted and to require the completion
of 700 miles of such fencing before those with RPI status can get green cards.
This would not only delay the 13-year path to citizenship but doubles down
on an ineffective and destructive fencing strategies that have cost U.S.
taxpayers well over $49 billion. Thune's #1197 would go even further, and in
the meantime needlessly delay the path to citizenship.

Please call TODAY and keep calling through Tuesday to ensure these
negative amendments do not pass!

Call 1-866-940-2439 to be
connected with your Senators.

If you are having problems, you can also call the Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121 or find
Senators' direct lines at www.senate.gov

Feel free to use this sample script:

"I am from [City, State,
Congregation], and I support immigration reform. As a person of faith, I urge
the Senator to vote NO to Senator
Rubio's amendment #1225, and to amendments sponsored by Senators Cornyn, Thune, and Vitter, which
would significantly delay the path to citizenship and make it less accessible
for our undocumented community members."

About Me

The Presbyterian Office of Public Witness is the public policy information and advocacy office of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Its task is to advocate, and help the church to advocate, the social witness perspectives and policies of the Presbyterian General Assembly. The church has a long history of applying these biblically and theologically-based insights to issues that affect the public — maintaining a public policy ministry in the nation's capital since 1946.
Reformed theology teaches that because a sovereign God is at work in all the world, the church and Christian citizens should be concerned about public policy. In addition, Presbyterian forefather John Calvin wrote, "Civil magistry is a calling not only holy and legitimate, but by far the most sacred and honorable in human life."